Selecting the St George Temple Site
The choosing of the St George temple site is not only enlightening in a religious and historical sense it also reveals the determined character of Brigham Young. We read the following in the St George temple history immediately following the decision to erect a temple in Utah’s Dixie. Church leaders began to search for an appropriate building site. Many rumors have been circulated concerning an undocumented statement by Brigham Young that Moroni the Nephite general had actually dedicated the site where the temple now stands. Little information is available concerning this statement but the following declaration by David Henry Cannon Jr one of the first settlers in St George sheds some light on the background of the statement.
“I am eighty-two years old tomorrow (October 14, 1942) I am the only living person so far as I know who heard and saw what I am to relate. At the time of which we shall speak I was a lad of eleven years all seeing and all hearing and drove a team hitched to a scraper.
President Brigham Young had written to Robert Gardner President of the Stake High Council. In his letter he expressed a wish that a temple be built in St George. Also, that brother Gardner select a few leading brethren and as a group to visit sites where it might be best to build the temple. This they did visiting spots each thought might be best. They could not agree and so informed President Young.
President Young arriving later somewhat impatiently chided the brethren and at the same time asked them to get into their wagons or whatever else they had and with him find a site.
To the south they finally stopped.
But brother Young protested the men, ‘this land is boggy. After a storm and for several months of the year no one can drive across the land without horses and wagons sinking way down there is no place to build a foundation’.
We will make a foundation said President Young. Later on while plowing and scraping where the foundation was to be my horses leg broke through the ground into a spring of water. The brethren then wanted to move the foundation line twelve feet to the south so that the spring of water would be on the outside of the temple.
Not so replied President Young we will wall it up and leave it here for some future use, but we cannot move the foundation. This spot was dedicated by the Nephites. They could not build it (the temple) but, we can and will build it for them.
To this day the water from that very spring is running through a drain properly built for it.
I make this statement of my own free will and choice and without any fear or misgiving Signed David Henry Cannon Jr (Public Services-Church Historical Department St George temple section, pg. 24.
Following this declaration by Mr. Cannon an attestation was given by the three people who received Mr. Cannon’s remarks. They stated that:
We the undersigned found David Henry Cannon Jr. preparing beans to be canned. Also, his mind was clear and keen during the entire interview covering about thirty minutes he never hesitated for an answer and he never was once in doubt as to what he had seen and heard upon these memorable occasions he told us many other items which we recorded this fourteenth day of October 1942. But which we do not make a part of this signed statement.
Signed,
E Ernest Bramwell
85 C St Salt Lake City Utah
Zilpha H Bramwell
85 C St Salt Lake City Utah
Richard S McAllister
St George Utah
Public Services Church Historical Department St George Temple section pg. 24.
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the temple site took place on November 9, 1871 and construction for the temple began that same day. The temple was nearly finished in early 1877 and the dedication ceremonies of the finished edifice were completed in April 1877.
Although the temple site is located in a valley plain it is situated on a slight elevation. Talmage pg. 209-213 nearly in the center of St George as depicted in figure 9
Summary
The St George Temple site is symbolically similar to and different from the Salt Lake City Temple site and the other temple sites the church has chosen and developed it too represents on the Mormon landscape sacred space and holy house where God or other heavenly messengers can literally appear where holy ordinances and knowledge may be gained for living and dead persons and where revelation often descends upon humble patrons. Also, it helps to solidify the Mormon presence of an area and sometimes indicates a conquering of sorts of the physical environment and mortal enemies.
More so than the Salt Lake City Temple site, St George and its temple site were established in a harsher environment. As such the St George Temple site signifies the determination of Mormons to leave comfortable surroundings at the request of their leaders to extend their faith. For a considerable number of years, the St George Temple site served as the southern boundary of the Mormon landscape in Utah. Being a boundary point the temple site also served as a gateway to lands and people to the south and west of St George. With the completed temple the temple site was and still is a unique landmark for travelers between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The temple’s white exterior contrasts strikingly with the red earth and black rock of the immediate area of St George to Mormons and others. The temple site by appearance and contrast exemplifies the ability and need for church members and other Christians to be outwardly and inwardly spiritually different than the environment they live in. As the color white often portrays purity the St George Temple site is an excellent symbol of virtue and godliness.
According to the foregoing Cannon account, Brigham Young appeared to have chosen this temple site by revelation from God, received just prior to choosing the site. As it was the temple site, Young decided upon seemed at first a poor choice, to which local church leaders objected and even offered alternate sites. However Young wouldn’t compromise a literal inch even when it was evident the ground was boggy from an underground spring.
Subsequent assessment though indicates the St George Temple site is situated in the best location of that confined area. Visibility of the site and temple would have been better from a higher elevation, but water for such a temple site possibly wasn’t known at the time to be at higher altitudes above the valley. This lack of water at higher elevations is indicated by us government maps of St George. The spring which the temple site encompassed has consistently provided water for its needs. Water was also nearby in the Virgin River but not so close as to damage the temple site during flooding.
Another deserving characteristic of this temple site is that it’s befitting of such a sacred symbol. No other land in the area of the temple site was as valuable at that time nor could have another location have been as centrally located in the only vicinity where settlement could occur. Community growth was aided by not having to cluster around a temple site that was mostly rock that wouldn’t support garden crops or fruit trees.
It appears that the previous account of David Henry Cannon Jr., how he witnessed Brigham Young choosing the St George Temple site and heard Young state the site was originally dedicated for a temple by some Ancient American inhabitants known as Nephites is the only public document the church has concerning how this temple site was chosen. Although it’s impossible to determine complete accuracy of Cannon’s statement, several important aspects of Cannon himself and the observation he claims strongly indicate he spoke the truth of how this temple site was located. Importantly it was the written opinion of three adults of probably at least average intelligence that when Cannon related the site selection story, Cannon appeared to have a clear and keen mind and could discuss and answer questions about this incident without hesitation and was steadfast in what he recounted. Adding support to Cannon’s story and credibility are statements and recollection of statements by others that what Cannon claimed was at least very possible.
One individual is said to have witnessed Brigham Young speaking in the St George Tabernacle Church and heard Young state that the spirit world was not far from us and if the veil could be taken from our eyes there wouldn’t be either a man woman or child who would dare go out of this tabernacle as the spirits of the Gadianton Robbers were so thick out there. This is where they lived in these mountains (Heber Jarvis quoted by Lundwall pg. 86.) The Gadianton Robbers were enemies of the Nephite people in the Book of Mormon, a book Mormons believe to be sacred scripture similar to the Bible. Thus, if the spirits of the Gadianton’s still inhabit the St George area, the Nephite people could have lived near there at one time. Also, as the Gadianton Robbers lived primarily from stealing food from the Nephites, as mentioned in the Book of Mormon. If Brigham Young actually stated what Jarvis claims he said, then Nephite people that lived at or near present day St George could very well have dedicated the St George Temple site many years ago. Also, a written statement by Brigham Young again mentions the Gadianton Robbers that the spirits of the Gadianton’s are around us you may see battlefield after battlefield scattered across this American continent where the wicked have slain the wicked. (Brigham Young quoted by Lundwall pg 296). This declaration is also found in The Journal of Discourses volume 12 pg. 128.
Consequently, it’s an established fact Brigham Young claimed the Gadianton Robbers lived throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico. This being the case it parallels that the Nephite people also lived and travelled these same areas and could have chosen and dedicated the St George Temple site. It appears that Cannon’s story is possibly true at least according to statements made by Brigham Young.
1992 The Geographical Analysis of Mormon Temple Sites in Utah Garth R. Liston Brigham Young University – Provo Page 45-60
The Bizarre Lightning Strike That Gave the St. George Temple the Look Brigham Young Always Wanted
by Katie Lambert | Jan. 25, 2019
As the first temple built in the West and the first temple since Nauvoo, the St. George Utah Temple was well-looked forward to by the Saints.
However, even after its dedication, it appeared the temple was not quite finished.
With construction on the Salt Lake City Temple taking decades combined with the restlessness of the Saints in Southern Utah as they faced harsh weather conditions, famine, and troubling times, the announcement of a temple in St. George, Utah, was met with much excitement.
President Erastus Snow, who was present at the meeting where President Brigham Young proposed the temple on January 31, 1871, exclaimed “Glory!” “Hallelujah!” at the thought of having another temple, according to wchsutah.org.
For the next six years, work progressed on the temple, thanks to the enthusiasm of the Saints as they threw themselves into the arduous work of pounding lava rock for part of the foundation, constructing a lumber mill, transporting red sandstone for the temple walls, and many other tasks.
The Saints were simply ecstatic about their new temple and could not wait for it to be completed. Before the entire temple was dedicated in April 1877, there had already been baptisms in the temple, according to wchsutah.org, as the baptismal font and lower floor of the temple had been dedicated in January 1877 by Wilford Woodruff.
However, as the temple neared its dedication date, President Young was not satisfied with the way the steeple of the temple looked, as he mentioned to his son Brigham Young, Jr.
“The tower is wooden and very unsatisfactory piece of work,” Young, Jr. wrote in his journal. “Father remarked he would keep the tower locked, that he was ashamed of the framing and the design. It was is some 12–18 feet too low to look well. Prest [Brigham Young, Sr.] says they will have that remided [remedied] some these days,” (Brigham Young Jr., Journal, May 10, 1876, 83).
However, the temple was left as it was and dedicated on time. This was fortunate because had the construction on the temple continued, President Young likely would not have seen the completed temple before he passed away a few months later.
Happy to finally have a temple in the West, the Saints enjoyed using the St. George temple as it was until October 1878 when a severe thunderstorm rumbled through St. George. During the storm, lightning struck the tower, completely destroying tower but miraculously damaging no other part of the temple.
For years the tower underwent repairs until the Saints decided to heighten the steeple, consequentially giving the temple the look Brigham Young preferred.
See amazing lightning pictures of many temples at the link below
https://www.ldstemple.pics/news/10-shocking-pictures-of-lds-temples-with-lightning/
85 Native American’s Baptized in the St. George Temple
Finding the Temple Records
Rod Meldrum said, “The deep understanding of the proper role and procedures in good government exemplified by Canassatego in his discourses with many of the Founding Fathers may have contributed to his being included in a little-known account in the history of the Church. I have recounted many times this story of how a Native American chief by the name of Canassatego had instructed some of the Founding Fathers during a particularly difficult negotiation, thereby being an instrument in establishing the inspired Constitution of the United States.
Many Latter-day Saints are aware that in August 1877 at St. George, Utah, Wilford Woodruff, the temple president, and his recorder received visions that vicarious temple ordinances for the Founding Fathers and other eminent men and women were to be performed. On August 21, 1877, temple ordinance work was undertaken for them. However, few church members are aware that baptisms by proxy were also performed for 85 Native American Chieftains. That was done August 29, 1877, only a few days following the ordinance work that had been done for the Founders. One of the historically significant chieftains of that illustrious group was Canassatego. The death of President Brigham Young on that same day resulted in the temple presidency leaving for Salt Lake City with only the chieftains’ baptismal work accomplished. Their remaining temple work seems to have been accidentally forgotten until I showed images of the temple registry during a presentation at St. George. In that audience was Delores Kahkonen, a Cayuga of the Six Nations/Iroquois. She literally jumped from her chair exclaiming, “Those are my people!” During the next two years she would be instrumental in researching each of those chieftains and facilitating the completion of their temple ordinance work including sealings to their spouses.” (January 26, 2019 email to Rian Nelson from Rodney Meldrum.)
See more of that story in the new book titled, “Joseph’s Remnant; Lamanites in Today”s America” by Allen Christensen
